Category Archives: blog

Coastguard exercise with BTOSC

On Sunday 6 Mar 2011 the BTOSC took part in an hi-line exercise with Solent Coastguard.  This was one of a number of activities planned for this year’s Skippers’ Refresher weekend.

Andy Shrimpton reported as follows:

“Once initial contact had been made and they asked us to tack out for more sea room.  They came back after about ten minutes and we confirmed that we were ready.  Not being complete novices at this routine we had already removed the dan-bouy from the port quarter and brought a bucket on deck for the hi-line.”

The briefing received over VHF was as follows:

  • Hold a steady course
  • Sail hard on the wind on port tack
  • Take the line on-board but don’t attach it to the boat
  • Take-in all slack
  • When the man on the wire is ready he will indicate to haul him in – it may take more than one person.  Once on-board he will direct the rest of the operation.

The exercise then commenced and went exactly as briefed.

First the hi-line was lowered into the water to be taken on board Bagadeus.

Then a crewman was lowered from the helicopter…

for transferred to the yacht.

After a few minutes onboard, the crewman was then safely recovered back to the helicopter as captured in the following video.  To view this you will need to enter the word ‘skipper‘.

On completion CG Helo 104 called Bagadeus on Channel 67 to confirm completion of the exercise, to thank us for our participation, and to kindly say that we had done well.

Andy commented:  “It was a good experience (especially when you don’t need rescuing) and everyone learned something from it – not least how noisy it is underneath a helicopter!”

Other activities during the weekend included ‘pontoon bashing’, setting up a tow and a variety of man-overboard techniques.

Report from Arc Angel on the Xmas Jolly (4-6 December 2010)

A weekend sailing on on yacht Arc Angel in December – surely this would be sun filled and fun filled? Suitably blind to the possible outcomes, I joined up as a new BTOSC member and paid my money to join the Christmas Jolly. Packing on the Friday as several inches of snow was already on the ground (with more falling) pointed me to the lack of need for shorts!

Continue reading Report from Arc Angel on the Xmas Jolly (4-6 December 2010)

BTOSC Event Listings *New*

This year each Cruising, Racing or Training event will have its own page on the website.

The events within each of these categories will be listed and accessible from lists in the Right Hand Column but the content can be included in article or posts on the website too.

There is also a new page containing an Events Calendar where you can browse by month and a page listing all forthcoming Events List.

The next Cruising event is:

No events

The next Racing event is:

No events

The next Training event is:

No events

The Events Calendar

If you think this is an improvement or have any other comments please comment here.

Continue reading BTOSC Event Listings *New*

Report on the Thames Crossing Weekend: Friday 20th -Sunday 22nd August 2010

[topcollage images=2 start_with=1]This event came perilously close to being cancelled due to an insufficient number of people expressing interest. To make it viable the cross channel trip to Cherbourg, also in doubt because of too few people, was cancelled. Having originally booked a place on the Cherbourg weekend, I was a little disappointed not to be going there but the challenge and excitement of the journey rather than the destination is what it’s all about, isnt’t it? Continue reading Report on the Thames Crossing Weekend: Friday 20th -Sunday 22nd August 2010

2010 Xmas Jolly details

December 2010

  • Xmas Jolly – Dinner at the Folly in Cowes.
    • £140 for a Berth (Includes dinner but not wine or your share of moorings and fuel)
    • Menu Choices
    • STARTERS

      Seasonal soup of the day (v)
      Chicken liver, Madeira & oven-roasted mushroom pâté

      Stilton, mushroom & walnut filo parcels (v)

      King prawn cocktail (†)

      MAIN COURSES

      Hand-carved British free-range roast turkey breast
      Scottish salmon tail fillet (†)

      Braised beef (‡)

      Roasted red pepper & red onion tart (v)

      Pan-seared Barbary duck breast

      DESSERTS

      Christmas pudding (‡)

      Bitter chocolate tart

      Mascarpone & Madagascan vanilla cheesecake

      Cream profiteroles
      ———————-

      Coffee & Truffles (State if required)

Note:

1. All of the above events will be run out of the Hamble near Southampton.

2. For the full list of planned events please see the 2010 Sailing Programme.

3. For further information on the Xmas Jolly Please contact Sue Tolson

For further information on any events in the Sailing Programme please contact our Cruising Secretary

Report on the Long weekend Cruise to Poole / Weymouth 8-11 July 2010

Roy Demery and Mike Bourne report on their cruise to Poole and Weymouth:On the Thursday evening Skipper Andy Shrimpton, Steve Davies, Adele Wisbey, Roy Demery, Wally Mathews, Mike and Lewis Bourne assembled on board Ca’Canny a 40 ft Najad at Hamble Point Marina. This was Mike and Lewis”s first cruise with the BTOSC and Mike”s first experience of sailing. Continue reading Report on the Long weekend Cruise to Poole / Weymouth 8-11 July 2010

Report on Introduction to Sailing Weekend (Fri. 28th. – Sun. 30th. May)

Kieran Madigan reports on a rather wet and windy introduction to sailing:

Why did we do it ?  Because we could!

For some years now we have, as a family, wanted to give sailing a bash. Having previously only encountered life on the waves on a Cross Channel Ferry it was a desire to see what made people want to get out and onto the water. Would we be bitten by the bug and become sailors? The BTOSC Introduction to Sailing weekend was the perfect opportunity to find out. Continue reading Report on Introduction to Sailing Weekend (Fri. 28th. – Sun. 30th. May)

Report on S.W. Coast & Scilly Isles Cruise (2nd. – 9th. July 2010)

[topcollage images=4 start_with=3]
The 2010 cruise to the Scilly Isle was a 7 day event (Friday to Friday), on “Ventis Secundis”, a 40ft Delphia hired from Trisail of Falmouth. (http://www.trysail.net/ventis-secundis). With skipper Chris Price, and crew of 6 – Roy Cullers, Richard and Trudi Kidd, Chris Webber, Jonathan Peters, and myself, John Kelly. For most of us, the main attraction was the allure of the Scilly Isle, so we were pleased to spend most of the week there, with several very pleasant afternoons ashore. For Chris the main objective was to handle the very tricky pilotage around the Scillies without adding to the huge numbers of wrecks in the area – an objective he met in full, giving us all a lesson in charts, transits and pilotage. And lessons on navigation apps on Chris’s iPhone, but that’s another story.

Overall we had a most enjoyable week; perhaps not as much sailing as we would have liked (due to winds), but it was a great way to see the Scilly Isle. If we could be guaranteed quiet weather, then there are many islands and coves yet unvisited that would justify a second visit. But if the weather is unsettled, then be warned that the mooring options are limited.

Continue reading Report on S.W. Coast & Scilly Isles Cruise (2nd. – 9th. July 2010)